GM/NHRA Racers Visit USO/Ramstein Air Terminal

RAMSTEIN AB, Germany, Nov. 19, 2007 - A group of goodwill ambassadors from the NHRA have just completed a three-day USO-sponsored tour of U.S. Military installations in Germany, including the Kaiserslautern Military Community, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Spangdahlem Air Base and the U.S. Army Garrison at Baumholder. It was the third consecutive post-season visit for the drivers, and the brief but memorable time spent with the troops and their families provided an opportunity to make some new friends and see some familiar faces.

Six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson, two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jim Yates, Funny Car driver Tommy Johnson Jr., and Top Fuel drivers Cory McClenathan and Melanie Troxel represented the sport of drag racing during the 72-hour troop-morale mission to Germany. As in the two previous post-season trips, the Army Special Forces Association, Randall Shughart Chapter 64, based in Carlisle, Pa. served as the vanguard for this year's visit and the 435th Services Squadron at Ramstein AB hosted the group during its stay in Germany. The drivers met race fans at five different military installations and at over 15 different locations during their stay. They also distributed over 1,500 goody bags which included racing caps, tee-shirts, racing decals and other items, signed an even greater number of autographs and brought smiles of appreciation to the faces of everyone they met.

A full schedule on Monday started with an early morning autograph session at the USO facility at the Ramstein AB passenger terminal, a location the drivers visited during their first trip to Germany in 2005. Following their stop there, they were shuttled over to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where they were greeted by COL Brian Lein. COL Lein escorted the group on a tour of the hospital that included the intensive care unit at Landstuhl where the drivers visited with wounded U.S. troops, and signed autographs and distributed goody bags to hospital personnel and staff. While still on the grounds at LRMC, the drivers paid a visit to the Medical Transient Detachment. This team provides medical treatment for sick or wounded soldiers before they travel to the United States or return to their combat units.

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